CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- At least 18 people were inside a Cedar Rapids apartment building when a fire started in an unoccupied unit Thursday morning, but all made it out safely, officials said.
Firefighters rushed to 640 16th Ave. SW just after 10 a.m., where they found smoke billowing from the back side of the three-story building. Inside, they found flames shooting from the stove in apartment No. 8.
The tenant of the apartment, Donnie Jennings, 55, had just left. He told The Gazette the power had been out since last night, and when it came back on this morning, at least one burner was apparently still on.
“My lights were out, and when it came back on, that grease (in a pot) caught on fire,” Jennings said.
Fire Department spokesman Greg Buelow said the official cause was still unknown, but said Jennings’ account is a possibility.
Most of the damage was confined to Jennings’ apartment, Buelow said. The kitchen and ceiling were charred and smoke damaged other items inside. Another apartment nearby may have sustained some smoke damage, too.
Investigators determined a smoke detector in the apartment No. 8 was not working, but ones in the hallway were, Buelow said.
Karen Graham, 46, and Shirley Smith, 50, knocked on their neighbors’ doors as they left their unit. One man had been asleep.
“He was dead asleep, so we kept knocking and banging on (the door),” Graham said.
Paramedics talked to two people, one who had an anxiety attack and another who had an asthma attack, but neither was transported to a hospital, Buelow said.
Police blocked off 16th Avenue SW at Eighth Street until the firefighters left.
The American Red Cross was expected to assist Jennings, who will be displaced. He was in a jovial mood afterward, thanking the firefighters, but realized the challenges ahead.
“This is all I got,” Jennings said. “I lost everything I had.”
View Larger Map
Conversation Guidelines
Be Kind
Don't use abusive, offensive, threatening, racist, vulgar or sexually-oriented language.
Don't attack someone personally. Keep it civil and be responsible.
Share Knowledge
Be truthful. Share what you know and what you are passionate about.
What more do you want to learn? Keep it simple.
Stay focused
Promote lively and healthy debate. Stay on topic. Ask questions and give feedback on the story's topic.
Report Trouble
Help us maintain a quality comment section by reporting comments that are offensive. If you see a comment that is offensive, or you feel violates our guidelines, simply click on the "x" to the far right of the comment to report it.
read the full guidelines here »
Commenting will be disabled on stories dealing with the following subject matter: Violent crime, sexual abuse, Amber Alerts, Operation Quickfinds and suicides.
Most Popular >>